Thursday, January 30, 2014

Wayne Evon Busbice (1929-2011), who performed and recorded in the fifties and sixties as Red McCoy, is a fascinating and unusual figure in Country Music history to say the least. He is probably most remembered for two things; being the older brother of the troubled and brilliant bluegrass mandolinist/tenor Buzz Busby, and for having written and recorded a strange pseudo-Rockabilly track, "Rock And Roll Atom".
Red and Buzz were Louisiana farm boys whose life trajectories could not have been more stark in their differences. While Buzz led a life riddled with drug and alcohol problems, prison stints, and a shattered career, brother Wayne’s many faceted career involved distinguished military service, advanced higher education, and a long run in music as a performer, recording artist and producer. Late in life he authored a volume on the family history of the Busbice name in Louisiana titled "Uncovering the Secrets of a Southern Family: A Memoir", about which a press release states "But the undercurrent of Wayne's life remained a driving need to uncover the family secret: a killing the adults whispered about when they gathered behind closed doors. Wayne discovered he was living under a false name; Cousin Allen was really his grandfather; and Allen had lived a double life as a fugitive from the Pinkerton detectives of the 1890s." I'm really just scratching the surface of the story of someone who seems to have been a really interesting guy, I think you get the idea...
"Country & Gospel" was released on the Mount Vernon Music label in 1962 and seems to comprise of various selections recorded in Washington D.C. at Rodel Studio in the late fifties and early sixties. A few of the tracks such as "Goin' Back To Dixie" were released as 45s on the Empire label, but many, including "Rock And Roll Atom" (written as a teaching device for his high school students) were only released on this LP. The voices of brother Buzz and Pete Pike are clearly audible on many tracks, which despite the piano and electric guitar, often have a generally old-timey feel. The audio is very lo-fi for the time, and interestingly, although this copy is labeled as being in "Studio Stereo", the actual disc has the mono issue number in the dead wax, and is in fact simply the mono edition rebadged as "Stereo".
Also included in this post is 1965 single on the Almanac label containing a couple more tunes written by Busbice. "3000 Miles Lonesome" was cut in 1964, while "What's The Use" was waxed back in 1961. Both sides were recorded in D.C., the latter featuring Buzz on harmonies.

Red McCoy with the Sons Of The Soil
"Country & Gospel"

Tracks:

1. Let Jesus Come Into Your Heart
2. I Heard My Savior Calling
3. I Want To See My Mother Again
4. Be Careful Of Your Father's Name
5. Rainbow Joe
6. Rock And Roll Atom
8. Goin' Back To Dixie
9. Live Your Life With Care
10. I Just Couldn't Say Goodbye

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Just wanted to let the folks know that as of today, all the download links of every past post are live. If there is anything in the Scratchy Attic archives that you would like to download, now is the time. Some of the links have been dead for awhile, as Zippyshare deletes inactive files after thirty days. Unfortunately, I don't always have time to check and re-up older posts. If however, there is ever a dead link on something you would like to download, drop me a line and I'll re-up it as soon as possible.
Happy listening!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Three albums are presented in this post by Odell McLeod (1916-2003) who was known on radio and records as Mac Odell, The Old Country Boy.

from AllMusic:

Odell, who sang, wrote songs and played harmonica, guitar and mandolin equally well, was a popular radio entertainer. He grew up listening to early country stars such as Jimmie Rodgers, the Skillet Lickers and especially the harmonica wizard Deford Bailey. He first worked with Slim Bassett and hoboed for a time around several states before they gained a regular show, as Mac And Slim in New Orleans, in 1935. After he married, he worked with his wife as Mac And Little Addie. They played WJJD Chicago's Supper Time Frolics for some time but their career was interrupted by World War II. Odell worked in a Michigan factory but continued to write songs as a staff writer for Roy Acuff (he wrote Acuff’s popular ‘Radio Station SAVED’ and ‘That Glory Bound Train’). After the war, he and his wife resumed their career on WLAC Nashville, remaining there until 1957. During this time he did daily shows with Addie and also appeared solo. He recorded for Mercury Records in 1949 but in 1952, he joined King Records. Many of his recordings were self-penned numbers, with the vast majority being of a gospel nature. These included ‘Thirty Pieces Of Silver’ (popularized by Wilma Lee Cooper) and ‘From The Manger To The Cross’, both of which have become much-recorded country standards. In 1957, he relocated to Benton Harbor, Michigan, where for some years, he neglected music to run Odell’s Signs, until a 1974 heart attack forced him to give up sign writing. In the late 70s, he was persuaded to make further recordings for Folk Variety of Germany, who also released some of his earlier material. In 1985, he and Addie made a tour of the Netherlands with the popular gospel singing Dutch duo, A.G. And Kate. In the late 80s, he was entertaining locally with three old friends as the Silver Threads. Odell also wrote ‘Purple Robe’, ‘The Stone Was Rolled Away’ and the Flatt And Scruggs hit ‘Cora Is Gone’.

The "Be On Time" and "Wild Rose Of The Mountains" LPs were released on the German Folk Variety label in 1977 and 1978, respectively, and contain nearly all of the sides he cut for Mercury and King in the late forties and early fifties. "Early Radio" was released on Old Homestead in 1980 and features 1955 performances, complete with studio banter, from his daily radio show over WLAC in Nashville. Fortunately, the sound quality on all three LPs is excellent.
Mac has always been a personal favourite of mine having grown up with a much treasured and played 78 copy of "Penicillin" and "Wildwood Flower" on the Quality/King label. Enjoy!

Mac Odell
"Be On Time"

Tracks:

1. The Kiss Of Betrayal
2. Let's Pray
3. Set Your Dial On Heaven
4. Heaven Bound Gospel Train
5. The Stone Was Rolled Away
6. One Day Religion
7. Wildwood Flower
8. Be On Time
9. What Then
10. That Final Day
11. Red Ball Rocket Train
12. When The Hand Of God Comes Down

1. Thirty Pieces Of Silver
2. Wild Rose Of The Mountains
3. A Prayer For Freedom
4. The Master's Train
5. The Sign On The Highway
6. From The Manger To The Cross
7. Penicillin
8. Are You Practicing His Love
9. I'd Rather Have God
10. Life's Elevator
11. Wolves In Sheep's Clothing
12. A Crown He Wore

1. Sunnyside (Theme), Be On Time
2. Sales Pitch (Advertisement), If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again
3. I'd Rather Be On The Inside Looking Out
4. Once I Had A Precious Mother
5. I Found It In Mothers Bible
6. One Day Religion
7. Insured Beyond The Grave
8. Meet Me Jesus
9. Just Over The Stars, Sunnyside (Theme)
10. Sunnyside (Theme), Just Like Me
11. Jesus Hold My Hand, Sales Pitch (Song Book)
12. When I Lay My Burdens Down
13. I Saw Mom With God Last Night
14. When He Reached Down His Hand
15. Lifes Railway
16. What Would You Give In Exchange
17. Mansion Over The Hilltop
18. My Blessed Lord, Sunnyside (Theme)